Sentient has demonstrated Desert Owl, a software solution that automatically indicates movement and changes in electro-optical (EO) full motion video (FMV) imagery captured by ground vehicles.
Developed as part of the Defence’s Capability and Technology Demonstrator Program (CTD), Desert Owl addresses two distinct defence capability requirements: moving target indication (MTI) and ground change detection (GCD).
Desert Owl is a suite of software. The MTI component processes the live video feed from a stationary, sweeping camera on the ground vehicle. As the camera sweeps the area of observation, Desert Owl automatically indicates moving objects in the camera’s field of view. Slow and stationary objects almost impossible for a human to notice can be detected at ranges of over 4km.
By simply comparing live imagery with previously recorded imagery Desert Owl’s GCD technology can also identify visual changes. The GCD software can process live video in a vehicle moving at up to 60km/h. It analyses the roadway and landscape ahead of the vehicle, detecting objects that have been added, moved or removed since the last transit, while effectively handling environmental and lighting changes.
Sentient has been working with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) for a number of years. Under a previous CTD Program Sentient developed its automated target detection software for manned and unmanned aircraft, Kestrel Land MTI.
